PATHANAMTHITTA: The Forest Department caught timber cut from the forest lands of Konni Forest Division's Naduvathumuzhi range while trying to transport it in a lorry to Thiruvananthapuram. According to the report 21 huge logs were caught. The logs seized are valued at around Rs 20 lakh rupees. The lorry was also taken into custody.

It was Kerala Kaumudi who brought out the wood loot. They were caught during the forest department's investigation following the report. 108 trees of ages up to 80 years old were cut down. The search for the remaining logs is underway.

The wood was seized by Deputy Range Officer S. Anilkumar while it was being smuggled through Pathanapuram on Monday night. Under the guise of a pass issued for felling wood from a private individual's land, the wood was smuggled out of the forest lands. A case was registered against the land owner, Stanley and Jacob Matathara, a native of Kulathupuzha, the logging contractor.

Muhammad Bilal, beat forest officer of Padam station, who informed the forest intelligence and superiors about the looting of wood in Natuvathumoozhi range, has been transferred to Gavi station. In his career, Bilal was transferred eight times in three forest divisions in five years. These immediate punitive transfers go against the service norms. There were death threats after the poachers were taken into custody. The special branch reported that his life is under threat if he is transferred again from here to Gavi. Bilal's mother complained to the Chief Minister about the transfer citing a violation of the rules. According to the complaint, an organization in the forest department and corrupt officials are behind it.